~ If you could read my mind

Monthly Archives: May 2013

This is the artwork my granddaughter submitted to the yearbook committee at her school. Not only did she do a great job, but she won first place in the entire fifth grade! She graciously consented to let me show off her work and interview her for my blog this week.1. Tell us about the contest. Who, what, when, where? Well, our school has a year book probably just like your own school so we have a contest to decide the year book cover so a bunch of kids enter, hoping to win and judges (teachers) decide the winner.2. How did you decide what to draw for your contest entry? I started off by sketching a few designs on my Mom’s white board. 3. What do you like best about Art? I like that you have the freedom to draw what you want and when you want.4. What are your favorite colors? My favorite colors to use and my favorite colors are two different things.My favorite colors to use are the darker colors I love doing shadows.My favorite colors are orange, red ,yellow,and navy blue.5. What is your favorite subject to draw? I love drawing portraits and real stuff.6. What is your favorite medium? paint? colored pencils? pastels? I like them all but my favorite has to be colored pencils.7. How long ago did you discover Art? I have been doing Art ever since I could hold something.8. Do you plan to take Art classes in middle school? We can do art in 7th grade here and if I dislike band I for sure will do art.9. Tell me about some of your projects. ex: making cards, making posters, etc. Well I have won a few contests this year. I won a Christmas card decorating contest, and I won this one. I do art every chance I get, and try to enter every contest.Thanks for coming, Ashlyn. I love the drawing and look forward to seeing more.

Come on in…shove something off a chair and make yourself at home. Help yourself to virtual coffee and pastries. And please ignore all the clutter… and the lack of decoration. My new blog is a work in progress and will be for a while, but I’m excited to be here.

To start things off I’d like to talk a little about writers’ conferences.

If you’re an aspiring author, and you’ve never attended a writers’ conference, what are you waiting for?

For the past five years I’ve attended the annual conference held by the Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization. NETWO‘s 27th annual Spring Conference was held on April 26th and 27th. It gives me the opportunity to visit with old friends, meet new friends and network with writers from all over Texas, attend workshops held by authors, agents and editors. I’ve even been able to ‘pitch’ my latest work face to face with editors and agents from places like New York, California, and Texas. All in all, it’s proven to be an amazing experience that just seems to get better every year.

At my first conference, I signed up for a one-on-one interview with an editor. Did I have any idea what to expect? Absolutely not. You might compare the whole experience to jumping off a cliff with my eyes closed. Literally. I didn’t know the first thing about how to make a pitch and was so nervous I couldn’t breathe. But guess what? I survived.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re just interested in the possibility of writing or have actually begun the process, whether you’re looking for an agent/publisher or have already been published, I guarantee you will come away from a writing conference with something you can put to use. You may get some good advice on how to build your marketing plan or information on preparing your elevator pitch, your query or your synopsis. You might be inspired by a speaker sharing his/her road to publication. You might talk to someone who has gone the small press or self-publish route and get their take on the subject.

I enjoy ‘collecting’ characters. It’s always possible I might see someone whose mannerisms or personality would be perfect for my latest book or there’s always the chance I could overhear some great dialog. I’m always on the lookout for ideas to file away for later use. And I’ve been known to make these observations while attending the conference. You just never know. My daughter Carrie is fond of telling people, “You’d better be careful what you say around my mother or you could find yourself in one of her novels. And it might not be pretty.”

So, the next time you come across something about an upcoming writing conference and think this looks like it might be interesting, don’t just think about it. Register and attend. You’ll be glad you did.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and come back again soon. Please don’t be a stranger.

Launch day for In My Own Shadow, fantasy/adventure/romance is finally here!! I have to say I’m almost as excited as I was when Not Long Ago, my time travel/romance/adventure debuted in June 2012. The entire process went as smooth, if not smoother than it did the first time, probably because I knew what to expect this time around.
My thanks goes to Lea Schizas of MuseItUpPublishing. I say it all the time, but I can’t say it too often. MuseItUp is agreat place to be. Thanks also to my editors Holly Bonville and Sarah Champoux for their patience and encouragement, and to Marion Sipe for a cover that couldn’t have looked more like Lara if I’d sent her a picture. Last, but not least thanks to my family. I couldn’t have done it without you guys. Your music, your videos and your encouragement mean everything to me.

Now, let me give you a little peek at In My Own Shadow, a fantasy, adventure/romance.

Talk about the worst day ever! Lara lets her friend Carrie talk her into a blind date, only it turns out the handsome stranger waiting for Lara after work isn’t Carrie’s cousin after all. And, when they’re chased through a portal to another world, Lara realizes Rhys really is out of this world.

Lyra, her alternate in another dimension, has left clues to the whereabouts of the Book of Secrets that explains the mystery of time travel in Lara’s subconscious. Or so Rhys thinks. Power-hungry telepaths pursuing them will stop at nothing to get it, even if it means breaking Lara’s mind. To complicate matters, Lara gets tangled up in her feelings for Rhys while exploring her connection with Lyra.

With Rhys as her guardian, a bear of a man named Azle to guide her, and the spirit of Lyra haunting her dreams, Lara must find the Book of Secrets before it falls into the hands of those who want its power. Only then can she return to her world safely.

I had so much fun writing the scenes between Rhys and Lyra. At first she’s furious with him for ripping her away from a perfectly ordinary existence. Never mind that Rhys has saved her from the crazies in the parking lot and the nut job that appeared at her front door. Everything he says sets her teeth on edge, and sometimes he acts like he can barely stand to be around her. Every time it looks like they’re going to come to an understanding, something happens and it’s back to square one. Your typical love-hate relationship.

Here’s a little sample:

Rhys seemed to have a hard time answering a simple question. “This is all too bizarre for words. You can’t…I don’t…” With an unsteady breath, I threw my hands up, fingers splayed. “You’re out of your mind, and so am I for trying to make any sense out of this.”

Rhys rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “I know someone who might be able to explain things to you better than me. And he can be trusted. I know where to find him, but it’s a long, hard journey.”

I raised my eyes to the sky. “Sure, why not? I’ll just cancel my dental appointment this afternoon. No biggie.” Above the trees, the constellations glittered in the evening sky, but the moon was ringed like Jupiter, and the stars were spinning. “What’s wrong with the moon…and the stars…?”

He stared up into the darkness.“We’ve stepped through a portal into an alternate universe—”

I snorted laughter. “Sorry, I didn’t bring my passport. I wasn’t planning onleaving the country, let alone the damn planet!” His blank expression told me either he didn’t get my joke or else he didn’t think it was funny.

My supporting characters almost always threaten to take over the story. In this book we have Azle, Chief Historian for the Council. He’s the stabilizing influence on the group, always the diplomat, sensible and patient to a fault. Then, there’s Cobal, the dark good-looking ladies’ man who manages to look polished even while traveling cross-country on foot. Some of my best supporting characters not even people. Nyah and Nigan are burdahs, large creatures that exist in the alternate world where Lara travels. They look like a cross between a draft horse and a llama, with turquoise eyes and long lashes.

I hope you’ll enjoy Lara’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. And for those of you who read Not Long Ago, I’m working hard on the sequel. Looks as though I’m about 2/3 of the way done…depending on whether or not my characters cooperate. Also, my thanks so much for your reviews, comments and encouragement. It’s been music to my ears.